I'm not seeing how Nien is getting extra actions off that combo. does Pattern Analyzer give you an action in addition to your normal one now as opposed to replacing it, with the card basically assuming that taking stress will stop the normal action? If that's the case then I get it, but otherwise I'm a little confused.

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I'm not seeing how Nien is getting extra actions off that combo. does Pattern Analyzer give you an action in addition to your normal one now as opposed to replacing it, with the card basically assuming that taking stress will stop the normal action? If that's the case then I get it, but otherwise I'm a little confused.

Yeah, its now a new/extra action before check difficulty. The regular perform action step still occurs but would normally be prevented by stress, but Nien removes the stress if his ability triggers.

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Nien/Pattern Analyser and Ello Asty both only really trigger on Talon Rolls.

Technically Nien also works on K-turns, focus/link/barrel roll or against stuff like Admiral Sloane, but obviously also needs to get a range 1 arc shot.

I think Ello's initiative 5, as you say, probably makes the difference.

If you're not bringing Poe - even if you are! - you can do worse than put Ello in Black One. Being able to pull any speed 3 move then SLAM into a Talon Roll is bloody amazing.

Tubbs...moving first and removing stress is potentially nice - if you're not trying to outfly people with Poe and just using him as a heavy fighter that can Target Lock/Focus every turn with no difficulty, Tubbs helps mitigate the stress - I dunno. I think he's good insurance against someone being double-stressed, but until some equivalent of 1.0 opportunist pops up, I'm not sure it's that amazing.

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Ifind ello asty more reliable that Nien Nunb. He doesn't need any upgrades, though I usually make him heroic. He can joust for ever with his white t-rolls into a focus (or, as he is moving at i5, maybe a lock if not receiving return fire!)

I get the PA Nien build, but for points efficiency at i5, it's hard to look past the beasty boy.

My order is

Poe - can be built "cheap" or expensive, but double reposition at i6 and emergency Slam to get out of dodge make him a tricky customer and strong end game ship.

Ello Asty - White turn-around, he is the closest ship to a tie defender with a white t-roll. While he can't action efficiency as well as Poe or Nien, he doesn't need upgrades to support him.

Nien Nunb - Maybe tempered by my failure to get value from him in the games I've played, He really needs to get PA on to extract maximum value, however even naked he can replicate Ello Asty's ability if you can land red moves in the right place.

Jessika Pava - Still amazing, still hits like a truck. The only issue with her is that she needs to fly with other ships. She acts as a great sponge for torpedos and early alphas, helping to keep more valuable, stronger end-game ships alive.

Blue squadron rookiee - I put these high because of sheer efficiency. 4 of them with HLC, or R$ astros is so good. It's just a shame you can't run 4 with R2 astros

I've not experience of flying the other named pilots yet, though I have a bunch of lists for post christmas to get them all on the table! I

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When are you going to need his ability outside of a T-Roll or linked action with wings closed. And if you T-Roll, or do the linked, you have to nail the R1 too.

Ello just works when you need her to. You know what you get. Always.

Since Initiative is so darn important, especially at a decent price... i think the meta has taught us so far that still named I4 and below is not good enough, unless ability is utterly fantastic and/or you are way undercosted (like Sabine for example) compared to I5 ships. Which is not the case here.

1. Ello. I5 with a decent ability for pretty good cost

2. Nien. I5 with a questionable ability for good cost

3. Poe. Because Poe the limit at I6. For a lot of points actually. But pretty sure we will see him a lot.

4. Bastian. Cheap and nice ability with M9, R2-HA(haha) or R3 for very cheap. (Although i am not sure if his ability works with R3)

5. Jessika P. She is still good, but not nearly as good as before. A once per turn ability plus astromech charges is just not nearly as powerful as it was. Plus she has way more difficulties to find cheap wingmen in the Resistance.

6. Temmin Wexley. A bonus boost action on nearly every turn is just pretty powerful. But she is nearly the cost of Nien, sooo...

7. Kare Kun. Built in Daredevil is actually pretty good. But at only 2 less than an I5 pilot...

8. The Tubbs. Blocking and removing stress are not so bad. Nothing more though.

9. Seastriker. His ability is really meh amd circumventable by shooting him once a turn. Also if he loses all shields, it works only once, which makes it unreliable with Juke too.